nutritious
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nutritious
1655–65; < Latin nūtrītius that suckles, nourishes, variant of nūtrīcius, equivalent to nūtrīci- (stem of nūtrīx ) nurse ( see nurse) + -us adj. suffix ( see -ous)
Explanation
Nutritious describes food that's good for you. Brown rice and kale are nutritious, but jelly beans, sadly, are not. Something that provides nutrients — vitamins, minerals, and protein, for example — is nutritious. Our bodies need nutritious food to grow, heal, and stay healthy, however much we might crave tasty, non-nutritious snacks. The adjective nutritious comes from the Latin word nutritius, "that nourishes," which in turn comes from the root nutrix, "nurse."
Vocabulary lists containing nutritious
Unit 1: Ecological Systems
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Words to Describe Food
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The First State of Being
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For millions of underprivileged children, it is the most nutritious - and sometimes only - meal they eat all day.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
The latest trade statistics show Japan's exports of the highly nutritious gooey beans tripled from 2017 to 5,248 tonnes in 2025, with China and the United States topping the list of destinations.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
Food insufficiency is considered more severe than food insecurity, defined as having access to food but worrying about it running out or not being nutritious enough.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026
Smoothies with bananas can still be nutritious, especially as part of a varied diet.
From Science Daily ● May 24, 2026
Coupled with squash, beans, and avocados, maize provided Mesoamerica with a balanced diet, one arguably more nutritious than its Middle Eastern or Asian equivalent.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
